The Amherst Colts celebrate their third goal of the game while Colts coach Paul Atkinson stands on the bench.

AMHERST – The Amherst Colts let a 3-1, second period lead slip away Sunday at Amherst Stadium, going on to lose 6-4 to the Truro Fundy Phantoms during Nova Scotia Junior C Hockey League action.

“We would have liked to have won our home opener but we ran into penalty trouble and ran out of steam,” said Colts coach Grove Sutton.

The Colts went up 2-1 in the first period off goals from Marshal Terrio and Nick Grant. Terrio and Grant assisted on each other’s goals.

Justin Farrow scored unassisted in the second period, putting the Colts up 3-1 but the Phantoms scored two late period goals, scoring their third goal with one-second left in the second period and tying the game 3-3.

The Phantoms went ahead 5-3 in the third, when Terrio scored his second of the game off assists from Devon Despres and Cody Sutton, making it a 5-4 game.

Truro scored their insurance goal with 4:34 left in the game.

Kaelan LeBlanc started in goal for the Colts, facing 25 shots before Jesse Ogden came in for relief in the third period and faced seven shots.

Their teammates fired 28 shots at Phantoms goaltender James Rushton.

The Colts didn’t play any exhibition games and had their first practice last week.

“We’re not in great (physical) shape,” said Sutton.

The Colts are made up of player from Amherst, Cumberland County and Sackville’s Mount Allison University.

“We have some new kids that fit in really well,” said Sutton. “We just need a few more pieces to have a more complete team.”

The Colts played in Oxford and Springhill last year, and Sutton said it was fun to play their first game at Amherst Stadium.

“Oxford and Springhill treated us really good but, ultimately, this is where we want to play hockey.”